Avian Flight

Description

Forlagets egen omtale:

Covers all the main aspects of aerial locomotion by birds including sections on the history of bird flight study, aerodynamics, functional morphology, evolution, kinematics, physiology, energetics and the costs of flight. The subject is complex and still not fully understood, and the author argues a convincing case for rethinking and even abandoning some of the old, well established concepts.

Contents

Preface;
1. Acquisition of knowledge;
2. The flight apparatus;
3. Feathers for flight;
4. Aerodynamics;
5. Evolution of bird flight;
6. Bird flight modes;
7. The bird flight engine;
8. Energy required for flight;
9. Comparing the metabolic costs of flight